>I think the class system has fundamentally changed over the last 30 years throughout most western countries, with the increasing size of the middle class, rising rates of female participation (now more than 50% of the US workforce are women), increasingly equal rights in other areas too, and the rise of new class divides such as what Richard Florida terms the "creative class".However, the word 'class' is used less in conversation than it used to be, and on the whole minorities have greater equalities. So class is still hugely important. The difference between whether you're born in the poorest or richest area of London is 17 years life expectancy. However I don't think it's quite at the forefront of people's minds as much as it used to be (with the possible exception of these few years, seen as we're in a recession).
Battison's Blog 
>I think the class system has fundamentally changed over the last 30 years throughout most western countries, with the increasing size of the middle class, rising rates of female participation (now more than 50% of the US workforce are women), increasingly equal rights in other areas too, and the rise of new class divides such as what Richard Florida terms the "creative class".However, the word 'class' is used less in conversation than it used to be, and on the whole minorities have greater equalities. So class is still hugely important. The difference between whether you're born in the poorest or richest area of London is 17 years life expectancy. However I don't think it's quite at the forefront of people's minds as much as it used to be (with the possible exception of these few years, seen as we're in a recession).